The Streisand Effect [Spectra Fanfiction, book 2/3]

15 - Consolidarity

Erica felt numb.

Two years had gone so slowly, and yet it felt like a single second and it all had flown past her. She sat silently in the Stinger's observation deck. Everyone else was in the main room discussing the plan for when they arrived at Septico, however right now plans were the last thing Erica wanted to listen to. 

Her tired eyes gazed longingly at the holographic picture of her and Vex together on Aurum Shores. 

She could still remember her voice. It had started to get harder to visualise over the years, but it was still there.

Her laugh. That was the one thing she could remember so clearly.

That night when she had cuddled up next to her as they both fell asleep. A single tear fell down the doctor's face as she reminisced. How quickly it had all been taken away. She wasn't even old enough to drink on some planets. Degeneration had come for her and it had little time for mercy. It cared not for who it hurt, it cared not for the hearts that it tore out because of its actions. It was unthinking, unfeeling. A force of nature that couldn't even be contained, let alone stopped.

And yet that was her job. To contain and stop diseases. She was supposed to be a doctor. She was supposed to fix these things. She'd spent half her life studying it, and yet look at where it had gotten her. 

No family. No proper job. A shadow of an income. A scummy apartment for a home. She couldn't even save the one person who loved her. She couldn't save Vex. Now she was gone. It all seemed so hard to believe and she still hadn't fully come to terms with it. She knew she still wasn't over it. 

Two years had ground her to dust. She wasn't Erica anymore. Now she was just a walking tomb. A hollow, lifeless husk of matter. A waste of a body. 

What was the point?

A knock at the door interrupted her train of thought. She was surprised when she turned to see Duria standing there with a glass of water in both hands.

"Forgive the intrusion Miss Lokket, I'm not interrupting you, am I?"

Erica blinked, "No. Did you need something?"

The kugraw breathed out through his nose and held up one of the glasses.

"Well, your nox friend asked me down here to retrieve you. They're all currently going through preparations for when we land. However I figured you might not be in quite a mood to discuss such things. Would you like a drink?"

The doctor forced a weary smile to her face as Duria handed her a glass. 

"Thank you," she said before taking a small sip, the cooling liquid sliding down her throat. 

The kugraw moved to sit down next to her on the couch. She was huddled up, her arms cradling her elbows and her tail wrapped around her legs. Her shoulders were hunched and her eyes gazed aimlessly across the floor.

"I um, ahem, I realise that we aren't too acquainted. However I can't help but notice the good doctor's spirits don't seem so good right now. Might I ask what's troubling you?"

Erica didn't move.

"I'm fine, thanks."

A smirk grew on Duria's face, followed by an amused huff. He leaned forwards a bit and placed his hands on his knees, "Miss Lokket, I-"

"Please... please... j-just Erica."

"Of course, my apologies. Well, Erica, my job involves feeding through all sorts of information. I don't like to brag however I must admit I have grown to be quite adept at separating truth from lie, and I can say with absolute certainty that that statement is very much in the latter category."